Method for constructing decks

ABSTRACT

A method for constructing decks which includes the steps of constructing a rim joist box frame which includes side boards, a front board and a back board; placing the side boards of the rim joist box on a pair of spaced-apart jacks or leveling devices; leveling the rim joist box horizontally using the jacks or leveling devices and a level; attaching the rim joist box to opposite corner posts and then to middle posts, typically resting on foundation blocks; adding front-to-rear center supports attached to center support posts, also typically supported on foundation blocks; positioning joists in space-apart, side-to-side relationship on the rim joist box and center supports; attaching decking boards to the joists; constructing steps from the ground to the decking boards on a selected side or sides of the deck; attaching front and side rails and rail caps to the corner posts and middle posts; and spacing balusters between the front and side rails and the rim joist box using a spacing tool.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by referenceU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/759,230, Filed Jan. 17, 2006.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the problems associated with building wooden decks is that ofquickly and efficiently leveling the deck frame or rim joists on thedeck supports or posts and efficiently adding balusters which areaccurately spaced-apart on the deck. According to the method forconstructing decks of this invention the first expedient is accomplishedby using a pair of spaced-apart jacks or leveling members that receivethe respective parallel side boards of a rim joist box to horizontallylevel the rim joist box and facilitate attachment of the rim joist boxto corresponding opposite corner posts and middle posts which aretypically supported on foundation blocks or an alternative foundationstructure or structures. When the leveling process is complete, thejacks are removed and parallel center supports are added front-to-rearto the rim joist box, with accompanying center support posts, alsoextending to foundation blocks or other foundation structure.Spaced-apart joists are then nailed or screwed side-to-side on the sideboards and center supports and decking boards are attached to thejoists. Steps are supplied at a selected location or locations betweenground level and the decking boards and front and side rails are addedto the corner posts and middle posts. Balusters are then spaced-apartbetween the front and side rails and the rim joist box using a balusterspacer tool and rail caps are added to the rails, to finish the deck.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The application will be better understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a structure with the rim joist boxelement of a deck positioned adjacent to the structure for leveling andattachment of the rim joist box to supporting posts;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the rim joist boxillustrated in FIG. 1, with a side board element of the rim joist boxsupported on a jack for leveling purposes;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the opposite side of the rim joist boxfrom the illustration in FIG. 2, more particularly illustratingpositioning of the opposite side board on an oppositely-disposed jackfor leveling purposes;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the rim joist boxillustrated in FIG. 2, more particularly illustrating the positioning ofa rear corner post on a foundation block adjacent to a side board andthe back board of the rim joist box for nailing or applying screws toone corner of the rim joist box;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a front corner of the rim joist boxillustrated in FIG. 2, more particularly illustrating the positioning ofan opposite front corner post on a foundation block for nailing orapplying screws and supporting that corner of the rim joist box abovethe ground;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the rim joist box illustrated in FIG. 1in elevated, horizontally level configuration mounted on thecorresponding front corner posts and rear corner posts, with the jacksremoved;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rear corner of the elevated rim joistbox illustrated in FIG. 6, more particularly illustrating thepositioning of a side middle post spaced from the corner post forsupporting one of the side boards of the rim joist box, wherein the sidemiddle post rests on a foundation block;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of front board rim joist box illustrated inFIG. 6, with a front middle post extending from support at a foundationblock upwardly to the front board for nailing or applying screws to thefront board and front middle post and supporting the front board, andfurther illustrating a center support extending rearwardly from thefront middle post, perpendicular to the front board;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the rim joist boxillustrated in FIG. 6, with a pair of side middle posts spaced betweenthe corresponding front corner post and rear corner post for receivingthe side boards and locating a set of steps to access the deck and moreparticularly illustrating the parallel pair of center supports extendingbetween the front board and the back board and attached thereto and to acenter support post, for supporting floor joists;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the rim joist box assembly, moreparticularly illustrating a preferred location for the front middlepost, center support post and rear middle post supports, each extendingfrom a foundation block for attachment to and supporting the parallel,spaced-apart center supports;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rim joist box assembly illustratedin FIG. 10, more particularly illustrating a preferred positioning ofjoists in spaced-apart parallel relationship from side-to-side on theparallel side board and the center supports;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a typical decking board for placementover the joists on the deck, wherein the decking board is fitted withpost openings on either end for fitting over the respective front cornerpost and rear corner post of the rim joist box assembly;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one corner of the rim joist boxassembly illustrated in FIG. 11, more particularly illustrating atypical positioning and attachment by nails or screws of the deckingboards on the joists and further illustrating positioning of the deckingboard having a post opening over the front corner post;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the rim joist assembly anddeck of this invention, more particularly illustrating placement of thedecking boards front-to-rear on the corresponding joists, as well as thefront board and back board elements of the rim joist box;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the deck illustrated in FIG. 14, moreparticularly illustrating completion of the decking boards on the rimjoist box;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a typical step assembly, includingplacement of corresponding step boards and side stringer spacers onspaced-apart, parallel, notched side stringers and a middle stringer;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the right-side portion of the deckillustrated in FIG. 15, more particularly illustrating partial assemblyof the steps extending between the ground level and the decking boardsbetween the parallel side middle posts;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the right-side portion of the deckillustrated in FIG. 17, more particularly illustrating assembly of therespective side stringer spacers on the corresponding side stringers andmiddle stringer elements of the steps;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the right-side portion of the deckillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, more particularly illustrating theinstallation of upward-standing, spaced-apart hand rail supports on eachside of the steps;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a front corner of the deck moreparticularly illustrating notching of the last one of the decking boardsfor fitting the decking board over the side board adjacent to a frontcorner post to complete installation of the decking boards;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the deck prior to installation of thebalusters and rail caps added to the step hand rails;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the deck illustrated in FIG. 21, moreparticularly illustrating addition of the rail caps to the step handrails;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the deck illustrating use of a balusterspacing tool install the balusters;

FIG. 24 is an opposite perspective view of the deck illustrated in FIG.23, also illustrating use of the baluster spacing tool; and

FIG. 25 is an enlarged perspective view of one corner of the deck,illustrated in FIG. 24, more particularly illustrating the balusterspacing tool.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings, a rim joist boxelement of a deck is generally illustrated by reference numeral 2 and isconstructed using nails and/or screws (not illustrated) to assemble afront board 4, which is typically cut to the exact width of the deck tobe constructed, along with a back board 5 typically cut short of thewidth of the deck by the thickness of the two side boards 3. The sideboards 3 are typically cut 1½ inches short of the total projection ofthe deck from the structure wall 45 of the structure 44, which isillustrated in phantom in FIG. 1 and includes a structure door 46 and apair of structure windows 47, for purpose of illustration. The rim joistbox 2 is typically constructed and assembled as illustrated in FIG. 1typically using nails driven by automatic nail guns and afterconstruction the rim joist box 2 is positioned on a projecting pair ofsupport arms 18, that extend from a mast 16 which is telescopically oradjustably mounted on a support 17 of each of two jacks 13. Legs 15serve to stabilize the support 17 of each of the jacks 13 in place and ahand crank 19 is provided in connection with a mast 16 in each of thejacks 13 to facilitate raising and lowering of the mast 16 and theattached support arms 18 with respect to the respective support 17. Eachjack 13 is positioned as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 in spaced-apartrelationship with respect to each other on opposite sides of the rimjoist box 2 to support the side boards 3 and facilitate horizontalleveling of the rim joist box 2, typically using a level 20. When therim joist box 2 is leveled, typically utilizing the level 20, one of apair of rear corner posts 9 is seated on a corresponding foundationblock 12, extended upwardly and vertically leveled with the level 20;such that the back board 5 is located adjacent to the structure wall 45of the structure 44 (FIG. 4). The side board 3 and the back board 5 arethen nailed or screwed to the rear corner post 9, as further illustratedin FIG. 4. The back board 5 may be later fastened in like manner to thestructure wall 45. The opposite front corner of the rim joist box 2 isthen similarly mounted on one of a pair of corresponding front cornerposts 6, extending from support on spaced-apart foundation blocks 12, asillustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. The front board 4 and thecorresponding side boards 3 are then nailed or screwed to the respectivefront corner posts 6 to complete support of the rim joist box 2 at aselected horizontally level height from the ground 22 as illustrated inFIG. 6. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that theselected height of the rim joist box 2 above the ground 22 isfacilitated by operation of the two jacks 13 in concert, as heretoforedescribed.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-8 of the drawings, when the horizontallyleveled rim joist box 2 is elevated to the desired height above theground 22 and is screwed or nailed in place on the respective verticalfront corner posts 6 and the vertical rear corner posts 9, avertically-leveled side middle post 8 (FIG. 7) is located adjacent tothe one of the side boards 3 opposite a set of steps to be added and ismounted on a foundation block 12 and attached to the side board 3 usingscrews or nails (not illustrated). Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 8of the drawings, a vertically-leveled front middle post 7 is extendedapproximately halfway between the front corner posts 6 illustrated inFIG. 6 and is seated on a foundation block 12 and extended verticallyupwardly to contact the front board 4, where it is either nailed orscrewed to the front board 4. A vertically-leveled center support 23 isthen extended from one side of the front middle post 7 rearwardly,approximately perpendicular to and beneath the front board 4 and is thenailed or screwed in place on the front middle post 7, as furtherillustrated in FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10 of the drawings, a pair ofvertically-oriented and vertically leveled side middle posts 8 arespaced-apart on the opposite side of the side boards 3 from the singleside middle post 8 illustrated in FIG. 7, to define a step location, ashereinafter described. Each of the side middle posts 8 are spaced-apartto accommodate the steps (not illustrated) and are mounted on foundationblocks 12 and extend vertically, where they are leveled, typically witha level 20, for contact with the inside of the side boards 3 and arenailed or screwed in place. Another center support 23 is nailed orscrewed to the opposite side of the front middle post 7 and the twoparallel center supports 23 extend rearwardly for attachment to avertical rear middle post 10, that projects upwardly from a foundationblock 12 against the structure wall 45 of the structure 44, asillustrated in FIG. 9. Accordingly, when the three side middle posts 8are in place on the respective side boards 3 and the center supports 23are extended between the front middle post 7 and the rear middle post10, a center support post 24 is extended vertically upwardly from afoundation block 12 between the respective center supports 23 and isleveled, nailed or screwed in place on the center supports 23, asillustrated in FIG. 10.

Referring to FIG. 11 of the drawings, when the rim joist box 2 assemblyis structured as illustrated in FIG. 10, multiple, spaced-apart joists26 are cut to fit side-to-side between the respective parallel sideboards 3 and are arranged therebetween, on top of the parallel centersupports 23, where they are secured by nails or screws, as illustrated.The joists 26 are spaced-apart to a desired spacing and are nailed orscrewed in place on the side boards 3 and are typically toe-nailed orscrewed in place on the center supports 23, as desired.

As illustrated in FIGS. 12-15 of the drawings multiple decking boards 28are cut to fit on the front board 4 and extend front-to-rear,edge-to-edge, tags out and crown down adjacent to each other on thejoists 26 as illustrated in FIGS. 13-15. The first one of the deckingboards 28 is cut to define a pair of post openings 29 in each endthereof, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, for fitting over thecorresponding front corner post 6 and rear corner post 9, as furtherillustrated in FIG. 13 of the drawings. Nails are then typically drivenin the decking boards 28 in alignment with the underlying joists 26 andnails or screws are driven through the decking boards 28, into thejoists 26. The decking boards 28 are thusly secured edge-to-edge on thejoists 26 and on the front board 4 and back board 5 in successiveadjacent relationship to the notched decking board 28 and the rim joistbox assembly defines the deck 1, as illustrated in FIG. 15 of thedrawings. The decking boards 28 are nailed or screwed in place, both onthe joists 26 and on the front board 4 and back board 5, as desired. Thelast one of the decking boards 28 to be placed on the joists 26 and thefront board 4 and the back board 5 is notched at the post notches 30 asillustrated in FIG. 20, to fit against the respective front corner post6 and rear corner post 9 and the notched decking board 28 is nailed orscrewed in place, as desired.

Referring to FIGS. 16-22 of the drawings, a set of steps 35 isconstructed by arranging a pair of side stringers 36 in spaced-apart,parallel relationship with respect to each other with a middle stringer39 extending therebetween, also parallel to the side stringers 36. Stepboards 38 are then measured to a predetermined desired distance betweenthe side stringers 36 and are nailed or screwed in place on the sidestringers 36 and middle stringer 39, as further illustrated in FIG. 16.Furthermore, after the steps 35 are positioned on the deck 1 asillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, side stringer spacers 37 are also nailedor screwed in place on the side stringers 36 and the middle stringer 39,as further illustrated in FIG. 18. As further illustrated in FIG. 17,the steps 35 are positioned against the corresponding side board 3 whichaccommodates the two spaced-apart, parallel side middle posts 8 and thesteps 35 and are leveled, typically using a level 30 as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3 and are then nailed or screwed in place to the side board33. The side stringer spacers 37 are then nailed or screwed in place asillustrated in FIG. 18, to complete the steps 35. As illustrated in FIG.19, a pair of spaced-apart, upward-standing hand rail supports 41 areattached to the bottom of the steps 35 and extend upwardly, where theyare vertically leveled, typically by the level 20, for receiving a pairof parallel hand rails 40, as illustrated in FIG. 21 of the drawings.The hand rails 40 are typically screwed or nailed in place on the sidemiddle posts 8 and the hand rail supports 41. The front rail 32 and siderails 33 are then nailed or screwed in place on the corresponding frontcorner posts 6 and rear corner posts 9, respectively, as furtherillustrated in FIG. 21 of the drawings. Furthermore, in a preferredembodiment, rail caps 34 are provided on the corresponding front rail 32and side rails 33, where they are either nailed or screwed in place, asdesired. Rail caps 34 may also be provided on each of the hand rails 40,as illustrated in FIG. 22 of the drawings, as desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 23-25 of the drawings, balusters 42 arespaced-apart, typically using a baluster spacer 50 and are nailed orscrewed in spaced-apart, upward-standing, vertical relationship betweenthe rail caps 34 and the front board 4, side boards 3 and the steps 35,as illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24 of the drawings. Proper spacing andpositioning of each baluster 42 is effected by hanging the top plate 51of the baluster spacer 50 over the front rail 32 and side rails 33,respectively, and engaging the top spacer plate 53 and the bottom spacerplate 54, provided on the spanner 52, against the respective balusters42, as illustrated in FIG. 25 of the drawings. Application of theparallel, spaced-apart balusters 42 completes the construction of thedeck 1.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that construction ofthe deck 1 of this invention can be effected using either screws ornails or both, as described above, depending upon the desires of theowner and/or manufacturer. Staples may also be used in someapplications. Furthermore, the type of lumber used may vary, although itis preferred to use a treated material, such as treated pine wood, toresist weathering and rotting. Furthermore, the deck can either bemaintained in its natural state as built or it may be painted orfinished with a waterproofing material, according to the knowledge ofthose skilled in the art.

It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that a firstkey step in constructing the deck of this invention is the use of theoppositely-disposed, spaced-apart jacks 13, for initially leveling therim joist box 2 as heretofore described, to insure that the rim joistbox 2 assembly is located a desired distance above the ground and islevel with respect to the ground. This expedient eliminates thenecessity of conventionally leveling each of the respective foundationblocks 12 illustrated in the drawings, in order to maintain the rimjoist box 2 assembly in a level condition. A second key step is use ofthe baluster spacer 50, which eliminates the necessity for verticallyleveling the individual balusters 42. A third key step is using thecenter supports 23 to pull the front board 4 straight when the centersupports 23 are fitted to the rim joist box 2.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been describedabove, it will be recognized and understood that various modificationsmay be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended tocover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A method for constructing a deck against a structure comprising thesteps of assembling a pair of side boards, a front board and a backboard to define a rim joist box; placing the side boards on a pair ofspaced-apart jacks; leveling the rim joist box by operation of thejacks; positioning the back board against the structure; addingsupporting posts to the rim joist box; and adding at least floor joistsand decking boards to the joist box.
 2. The method according to claim 1comprising the step of adding at least one center support to the frontboard and the back board for receiving the joists.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 2 wherein said at least one center support comprisesa pair of center supports.
 4. The method according to claim 1 comprisingthe step of adding a front rail and a pair of side rails to thesupporting posts, wherein the front rail and the side rails arespaced-apart from the rim joist box.
 5. The method according to claim 4comprising the step of adding a pair of center supports to the frontboard and the back board and at least one center support post supportingthe center supports for receiving and supporting the joists.
 6. Themethod according to claim 4 comprising the step of positioning abaluster spacer between the front rail and the side rails in sequenceand adding spaced-apart balusters engaging the baluster spacer in saidsequence, to the front rail and the back rail.
 7. The method accordingto claim 6 comprising the step of adding a pair of center supports tothe front board and the back board and at least one center support postsupporting the center supports for receiving and supporting the joists.8. The method according to claim 1 comprising the step of adding atleast one set of steps to the rim joist box for accessing the deck. 9.The method according to claim 8 comprising the step of adding at leastone center support to the front board and the back board for receivingthe joists.
 10. The method according to claim 8 comprising the step ofadding a front rail and a pair of side rails to the supporting posts,wherein the front rail and the side rails are spaced-apart from the rimjoist box.
 11. The method according to claim 8 comprising the step ofpositioning a baluster spacer between the front rail and the side railsin sequence and adding spaced-apart balusters engaging the balusterspacer in said sequence, to the front rail and the back rail.
 12. Themethod according to claim 8 comprising the steps of: (a) adding a frontrail and a pair of side rails to the supporting posts, wherein the frontrail and the side rails are spaced-apart from the rim joist box; and (b)positioning a baluster spacer between the front rail and the side railsin sequence and adding spaced-apart balusters engaging the balusterspacer in said sequence, to the front rail and the back rail.
 13. Themethod according to claim 12 comprising the step of adding a pair ofcenter supports to the front board and at least one pair of centersupport posts supporting the center supports for receiving andsupporting the joists.
 14. The method according to claim 13 comprisingthe step of adding rail caps to the front rails, side rails and steps.15. A method for constructing a deck comprising the steps of assemblinga pair of side boards, a front board and a back board to define a rimjoist box; positioning a pair of jacks in spaced-apart relationship withrespect to each other on opposite sides of the rim joist box; placingsaid opposite sides of the rim joist box on the jacks, respectively;operating the jacks to level the rim joist box; adding supporting poststo the rim joist box; adding at least one center support to the rimjoist box; adding spaced-apart floor joists to the rim joist box and thecenter support; and providing at least one set of steps extending fromthe rim joist box for accessing the deck.
 16. The method according toclaim 14 comprising the step of adding at least a front rail and a pairof side rails to the supporting posts, wherein the front rail and theside rails are spaced-apart from the rim joist box.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 15 comprising the step of positioning a balusterspacer between the front rail and the side rails in sequence and addingspaced-apart balusters engaging the baluster spacer in said sequence, tothe front rail and the back rail.
 18. The method according to claim 15comprising the steps of: (a) adding at least a front rail and a pair ofside rails to the supporting posts, wherein the front rail and the siderails are spaced-apart from the rim joist box; and (b) positioning abaluster spacer between the front rail and the side rails in sequenceand adding spaced-apart balusters engaging the baluster spacer in saidsequence, to the front rail and the back rail.
 19. The method accordingto claim 18 wherein said at least one center support comprises a pair ofcenter supports.
 20. A method for constructing a deck against astructure at a structure door comprising the steps of assembling a pairof side boards, a front board and a back board to define a rim joistbox; positioning a pair of jacks in spaced-apart relationship withrespect to each other on opposite sides of the rim joist box; placingsaid opposite sides of the rim joist box on the jacks, respectively;operating the jacks to level the rim joist box; adding supporting poststo the rim joist box; adding at least one center support to the rimjoist box; adding spaced-apart floor joists to the rim joist box and thecenter support; adding a front rail and a pair of side rails to thesupporting posts, wherein the front rail and the side rails arespaced-apart from the rim joist box and providing at least one set ofsteps extending from the rim joist box for accessing the deck.